Tube strikes to bring travel chaos to millions

Up to 2,300 maintenance workers will walk out from 6pm under orders from the RMT union.

If the dispute is not resolved, another three days of strikes will take place next week, starting at 6pm on Monday. But there was a major split between the unions. The RMT said Tube chiefs had not done enough to reassure members that their jobs and pensions were safe after the collapse of Metronet. However two other unions, TSSA and Unite, both called off planned strikes pending further talks.

There was widespread condemnation of the RMT's refusal to call off the action.

Mayor Ken Livingstone branded the strike " incomprehensible". He said there was no reason to bring disruption to the Tube's three million users.

Tim O'Toole, London Underground managing director, said the RMT had been given all the assurances it had demanded. It was "ridiculous to inflict this pain on London", he said.

Tube services should continue tonight but the worst effects of the strike will be felt in the morning. Overnight inspections, which have to go ahead to allow trains to run, will not take place. Any signal or points failures will not be fixed.

Michael Snyder, chairman of the City of London's policy and resources committee, said: "With 95 per cent of the Square Mile's 350,000 workers using public transport this will cause extreme disruption." Brian Cooke, chairman of London TravelWatch, said he "failed to understand what more the union wants". He said: "The RMT's opposition to any form of privatisation is well known but, with the recent announcement by Transport for London that they intend to bid to acquire Metronet's maintenance operation, the job security of Metronet workers is bound to be more secure."

Maurice Fitzpatrick of accountants Grant Thornton said a complete Tube shutdown could cost the economy up to £50 million a day.

Mr Livingstone urged RMT boss Bob Crow to call off the strike. The Mayor said it was "incomprehensible" to " disrupt the lives of millions of Londoners and lose their members significant amounts of pay when all the assurances they have asked for have been given".

He said: "I met the trade unions on Thursday. They explained the assurances they were seeking from their employers - that there would be no jobs cuts, transfers or loss of pensions as a result of the collapse of Metronet.

"On Friday afternoon they received a letter setting out precisely the assurances they had asked me for from the administrator and Metronet and, in addition, my own assurances."

The RMT said it wanted "copper-bottomed reassurances" that there will be no job losses for 3,000 former Metronet maintenance workers when the company is formally taken over - possibly by TfL, the Mayor's authority.

Mr Crow said letters from Metronet and administrators Ernst & Young fell "way short of the guarantees our members need and deserve".

He said the only assurances received covered the period of administration.

TfL has taken over Metronet as "caretaker" governor.